


Lost & Found

by Foxtrot_Ren



Series: DA BNHA Crossover AU [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Aizawa is Leliana, Angst, Bakugou Katsuki Swears A Lot, Bakugou is a Templar, Blood and Injury, Dabi and Todoroki Shouto Are Siblings, Dabi is Todoroki Touya, Dabi is a Todoroki, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Injury, Izuku is the Inquisitor, M/M, Major Character Injury, Midoriya Izuku is a Good Boyfriend, Midoriya Izuku is a Good Friend, Midoriya is the Inquisitor, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Reader Is A Dalish, Reader Is A Knight-Enchanter, Reader is a mage, Reader is an elf, Shouto is Dorian, Todoroki Shouto is a Good Boyfriend, Tooru is Cole, reader is female, tododeku - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21768811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxtrot_Ren/pseuds/Foxtrot_Ren
Summary: After reconciling with his father, Shouto learns his eldest brother is still alive. Inquisitor Lavellan, being the good person he is, helps to find Touya. You get roped in.
Relationships: Dabi (My Hero Academia)/Reader, Dabi/Reader, Midoriya Izuku/Todoroki Shouto
Series: DA BNHA Crossover AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1568539
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	1. Search

**Author's Note:**

> Headcanons for characters can be found in the collection - Part 1 of DA BNHA Crossover AU and Part 2 of Fantasy BNHA.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izuku decides to set up a meeting with Shouto's lost brother, but things don't go completely according to plan.

“Inquisitor, with all due respect, I sincerely doubt that your plan will work entirely as you hope it will,” you voiced, pushing yourself away from the war table, facing both men opposite you, “Shouto, I know you want to track down your brother, but it’s too risky. We can’t enter their camp and hope he’ll just magically be the only one of Corypheus’ lackeys that won’t attack us.”

Both men visibly deflated, pulling at your heartstrings. Aizawa gave a thoughtful hum, then moved the figures on the war table, “What if we managed to get him away from the rest of the camp? I could have some of my scouts locate him and pass him the location.”

Shaking his head, Cullen pondered the change, “But who is to say he will not use this against us? I recommend taking a full party with, Inquisitor. I will send some of my men to accompany you as well, in the event of an ambush.”

“No, even if he plans to use the situation against us, I would rather stay true to my word,” Izuku finally spoke once more, the dark circles under his eyes prominent, his hair tousled, “I will take a small party with… Shouto, [Y/N] and Toru.”

“Inquisitor, I would advise taking at least one more warrior with…” Cullen started, but fell silent as his gaze slipped to the sword hilts that hung from both your and Izuku’s belts, “I understand you fight as warriors do, but perhaps it would be better to have someone who is not reliant on lyrium. In the event that you run out.”

With a smile, Izuku pushed himself away from the war table, straightening out, “I understand your concerns, Cullen, but I will make sure with Elan that we have plenty of lyrium potions for the mission.” Glancing at both you and Shouto, he continued, “Pack your things and grab your gear. I’ll go find Toru. Meet me at the stables before noon.”

You sighed, nodding your head, “Nuvenin, Inquisitor.” As you made your way out, you stopped beside him, resting your hand on his shoulder, “Please, lethallen, be careful.” Your expression softened as you placed a gentle kiss to his cheek, lips touching the bright green vallaslin, Mythal’s. And with that, you left the war room.

* * *

The clearing was eerily quiet, save for the sound of the breeze sifting through the leaves, the sway of the branches and rustles of the leaves the only things that stood out from your surroundings. The only other sounds that accompanied it were the breaths of your party.

“It’s too quiet,” you whispered towards Izuku, your hart’s ears twitching, “I have a bad feeling about this.” He nodded quietly at your words, both your eyes scanning your surroundings. Glancing back at Toru, you whispered once more, “Do you sense anything?”

Toru’s glacial eyes stared into the treeline, seemingly searching, pale strands of hair falling out from beneath her hat, nearly hiding her eyes behind them. “There’s something nearby…” she scowled, and then her eyes widened, mouth parting to shout, “Darkspawn!”

At that very moment, the familiar growls and grunts of the darkspawn sounded, and an arrow sailed past Izuku’s head. Immediately, you were all on the defensive, magic surging through your veins, electricity and fire sparking at your fingertips. In tandem with Shouto, both of you erected a wall of fire in front of the darkspawn erupting from the treeline. Green and orange flames flickered and erupted to life, setting the unlucky darkspawn alight, and the smell of charred flesh filled the air.

The air grew with static as both Izuku and you erected a storm cage beside the walls. Toru disappeared from her mount, soon reappearing behind a darkspawn as black blood gushed from its throat. Dismounting yourself, you grabbed at the hilt on your belt, magic coursing through to form your spirit blade, your other hand grabbing your staff.

The familiar cracking and hum of ice sounded, a wall of ice erected around the mounts as Shouto and Izuku joined the fray. For a second, you and Izuku shared a look, both of your faces adorned with smiles. And then your attentions returned to dealing with the darkspawn.

Your movements were fluid, honed from your days at camp, and you seemed to dance across the battlefield. The hum of magic coming from your blade your focus, as you sliced and parried the blows of the darkspawn, using your staff to cast spells while you made your way to the archers.

Sprinting towards the heavily armoured hurlock, you slid beneath the swing of its sword, your own blade gutting it, black blood gushing out. In that second, you sparked a fireball, evaporating the blood before it could reach your face. In an instant, you were back on your feet, breathing growing more laboured. The darkspawn seemed to have no end.

“Izuku!” Shouto’s voice sounded, thick with distress.

Your head swerved, eyes searching for the green haired elf. Your heart stopped at the scenario; Izuku was cornered by a group of darkspawn, an arrow in his shoulder and abdomen, his magic faltering, his sword flickering in and out of existence.

In that moment, both you and Shouto worked in perfect unison, ice cold magic coursing through you as both of you blinked towards him, your surroundings blurring past you. You dislike the feeling Winter magic left on you, but it had its uses. You stopped right behind the darkspawn, and without hesitation, began to attack, fire, ice and lightning striking out at them. Your blade cleaved through their flesh as you cleared a path to Izuku.

Toru flit in and out as well, the glint of daggers the only sign of her presence as darkspawn fell left and right. Finally, when all three of you were through the group, you rushed towards Izuku, who gave a quivering smile, “Took you long enough.”

Shaking your head, you knelt beside him, your spirit sword disappearing. He’d fallen down during the debacle, back resting against the tree. “Stupid da’len…” Biting back the tears, you turned to look behind you, seeing more darkspawn on their way. “Keep them off of us! I’m going to heal Izuku,” you barked, both Shouto and Toru nodding, facing the incoming horde.

Ice walls erected behind the tree, and on your sides, meaning the darkspawn could only attack from the front. Before you attended to his wounds, you erected a barrier as well, making sure no stray arrows would strike him. And then you began to tend to his wounds, deftly removing the arrows first. The only sign of pain Izuku gave was a little wince whenever you pulled the arrows out.

Laying your hands on him, you focused on coursing your healing magic to him, at least enough to make sure his injuries would not be fatal. You’d taken the Knight-Enchanter discipline for this very reason. As a child, you’d had a knack for storm and inferno magic, but spirit was always Izuku’s front, which meant he’d be the healer, and you the fighter. But with the Knight-Enchanter teachings, you could heal as well. Shutting your eyes, you pushed all of the magic left in your system into the spell, feeling the familiar warmth accumulating at your fingertips, disappearing into Izuku.

And then you leaned back, magic drained, exhaust starting to set in, but at least Izuku was healed. Only faint silver scars remained where his wounds had been. With a lopsided smirk, you shook your head, “Idiot.” Hands quickly delved to your satchel, tossing a lyrium potion at Izuku, and taking one yourself.

“That’s why I’ve got you to look after me,” he chuckled, both of you downing the potion, the lyrium burning through your veins, “Shouto! Step back, grab a potion.” Shouto glanced behind, posture relaxing at Izuku’s healthy constitution, and stepped back, Izuku taking his place.

Quickly, you handed Shouto a potion, his hand lingering on yours. “Thank you,” he whispered, and you smiled, pressing your forehead against his. At his confound expression, you merely chuckled and rose, taking Toru’s place as she vanished into the fray.

Glancing back, making sure Shouto was occupied, you whispered towards Izuku, “What if his brother was killed by these things?” Your blade cleaved through a genlock that grew too close, and then you cast chain lightning at the front line of the enemies.

“We’ll have to hope we were just early to the location,” Izuku whispered back, brows creased. He was worried as well. “Just focus on killing the darkspawn!”

And that you did, though as their numbers began to thin out, your gut sank at the approaching figure. The ground shook with each step it took, its hulking, fleshy body intimidating. “Ogre!” you called out, gesturing towards the figure that began to increase its speed, running towards you.

And then bright blue flames threw it off balance. A voice shouted right after that, “Get to cover!” Without missing a beat, both Izuku and you erected a barrier, Toru making it just in time into the bubble. Bright blue fire erupted throughout the clearing, turning the darkspawn to ash, their howls filling the air. Even through the double layer of barriers, you could feel the heat of the flames licking at your skin. How strong was this mage?

In an instant, it was over, the flames died, and there were no more darkspawn left, not even corpses. The entire clearing was charred black, the only untouched part the circle of land inside your barrier. Shouto took a tentative step forward, his gaze far-off, the faint whisper of a name escaping him, “Touya?”

A dark-haired man cleared the treeline, his fair skin marred by dark patches you could not discern the nature of from this distance. There seemed to be some sort of article around his chest and arms, but his abdomen was fully exposed, and lower down he wore a combination of pants and materials, his feet appeared bare. He held his staff in one hand, resting it over his shoulders as he approached, a blue flame flickering in the top of it, and something glowing a similar blue hanging off the end of it.

“Seems like it was a good idea to come after all,” the man spoke, voice carrying over the silence of the clearing, his form stopping a few feet away from the barrier that was still up, “You can drop the barrier, miss.”

Blinking, you realized that Izuku had already dissipated his barrier, your hand was still touching the wall, still keeping it up. Taking a shaky breath, you released it, watching as it faded to nothingness. The man smirked and turned his gaze to Izuku, “So, Inquisitor, to what do I owe the personal invitation to?”

Whatever Izuku was going to say was silenced by Shouto stepping forward, tears cascading down his cheeks. His voice, so soft, so broken sounded out, “Touya… it… it’s you…” The man met Shouto’s eyes, and in that moment, realization and shock filled them.

“What? Sh-Shouto? How?” he whispered, voice barely audible, and then rose again “Why are you here? You should be back in Tevinter.” As Shouto took another step forward, he took one step back. “Shouto, you shouldn’t have come.”

“Why? Father told me you were _dead_ for years…” Shoto began, voice cracking, “I spoke to him recently, we’ve started to make up for the past… he told me the truth… that you had run away, that you were still alive. Touya-”

“My name is Dabi… Touya died years ago,” he interrupted, a wall slamming down behind his eyes, “If you were hoping for some happy family reunion… I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

Izuku took a step forward then, a small smile forming on your lips as his hand gently reached for Shotuo’s. Dabi’s gaze flitting to the contact, curiosity in his eyes. “Touya…” Izuku started, then quickly corrected himself, “Dabi… Shoto only wanted to make sure you were truly still alive. But I contacted you because I wanted to extend an offer to you,” he spoke, determination in his eyes, “We could use your strength and knowledge in the Inquisition.”

A chuckle left Dabi, his head shaking, “And what do you offer me? From how I see it, the Inquisition is going to lose. I’m siding with the winning side, which at this point, seems to be Corypheus.”

“So, you’re not actually loyal to him?” you piped up, gently raising your hand to stop any protests from Izuku and Shoto, “And even if you were to join us, your loyalty would not truly lie with us either. You’re loyal to yourself, and no one else. You take sides with the one that seems to be winning, because it’s in your own best interest.”

He arched a brow, hand resting on his hip as he watched you intently, gaze assessing you for a brief moment, “Your point?”

“What is there to lose to coming with us? We’d have more to lose if you ran off to tell Corypheus about our location and intel,” you continued, leaning against your staff, “And I doubt Corypheus would hold it against you if you ended up turning against us. I can’t guarantee that you’ll be met with anything less than mistrust and hostility, but at least you’ll get to see both sides.” Right now, you were relying purely on his self-preservation, hoping that your deal would appeal to him, “You don’t have to swear fealty to the Inquisition. You’ll be a guest in our walls. And I will be your personal guard, should anyone attempt do something unsavoury.”

“[Y/N]-” Izuku started, but your raised hand kept him quiet.

A thoughtful hum escaped the dark-haired male, “One month. I’ll stay for one month and see. If you don’t look like the winning force, I’m leaving.” Approaching closer, he held his hand out to you, “For the time being, I will swear fealty to you, and a truce with your Inquisition.”

With a relieved sigh, you took his hand, “Very well. Are you ready to head back now, or will you join us later?” The rest of your party seemed just as relieved as you were at the events, Izuku giving you a thankful smile.

“I suppose there’s no use in going back now, I’ll be joining you now,” he answered, releasing your hand. A tingle still remained where he had touched you.


	2. Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Dabi work on fixing Skyhold's crumbling structure.

Two and a half weeks had flown by quickly, and Dabi – as he preferred to be called – had quickly made himself handy. While he hadn’t won over the entire Inquisition, there were certainly fewer hostile glances sent his way, and definitely a decrease in the amount of threats and insults he received. Some people even grew friendlier towards him, greeting him and giving him provisions and gifts. It was a relief, for both of you.

Although, it did chafe you rather the wrong way whenever young ladies would keen as they watched him work, or when they decided to talk to him, barely restraining their flirtatious natures and basically throwing themselves at him. But he always remained respectful, whether it was because he had no interest or genuinely was that thick, that you were unsure of.

Shouto would stop by every now and then, and the two brothers would converse for a bit, catching up, but Dabi always seemed to keep his brother at an emotional arm’s length, not that it seemed as if he enjoyed doing so. Perhaps he merely wanted to make sure that if he left after the month, that it would hurt less for Shouto… or maybe for both of them.

At that moment, the two of you were aiding in restoring broken down segments of the walls, using your magic to push the debris back to where it was supposed to be. If some materials were needed, you placed down red markers for the builders. The two of you were drawing close to the end of the eastern section, having taken nearly the entire week to do the rest, with the western and southern sections completed.

“Heh, if we keep this up, we’ll have the hold done before the end of the month,” you huffed, sitting down, back resting against the stone wall, head peering up at the beautiful blue skies, “The skies here are always beautiful. Reminds me of home.”

“Where’s your home?” Dabi asked as he seated himself beside you. A small smile tugged at the corners of your mouth. This was the first time he seemed interested to learn more about you personally. Glancing at him, he merely rolled his eyes, “I suppose getting to know you better will make things bit less… stiff.”

“Well, I come from the Free Marches, clan Lavellan,” you answered, smiling fondly at the memories, “Same as Izuku. We were effectively raised together, he was the Keeper’s First, and I was her Second.” A fond sigh left you, turning your gaze back to the skies, reaching your hand out as if to touch the sky itself, “In the forest, the trees would reach toward the skies, and the light that broke through made the most beautiful markings. Almost as if the stars were touching the earth. But in the clearing where we made camp, the trees framed it so beautifully. It was always a soft blue, and when the rain came, the clouds weren’t a dreary, dull grey.” A soft sigh left you as you continued, “And the night skies… they were the most beautiful. Izuku and I would spend many nights staring up at the stars, so clear and vivid.”

“You and Izuku seem… close,” he piped up, something unfamiliar lining his voice, “I’ve seen the way the two of you interact…”

Smirking, you glanced at him from the corner of your eye, noting that he was directly avoiding your gaze, “Is that jealousy I detect, Dabi? Didn’t know you could feel that.”

Huffing, he shook his head, “No, I’m worried about Shouto… Does he know that you and Izuku are… well, that close?”

At this, you guffawed, leaning forward as you held your sides, tears forming at the corners of your eyes. Your cheeks grew red as you snorted, but you couldn’t stop laughing for a while, the ridiculousness of his question throwing you off. After a while, you finally wiped at the tears, laughter dying down, “That was hilarious. I haven’t laughed like that since before… before this all started.”

Smiling at him, you placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, “Don’t fret. Izuku is my lethallen – he is like a brother to me. I mean, we were practically raised together. In our clan, we are very open with our feelings and affections. Many of the others initially thought that we were together, but our affection is only familial.” A soft chuckle left you at the memory, “I remember Shouto asking me the same question, and asking if Izuku flirting was just something he did normally. But as I told you, I told him the same.”

“So, if that’s familial affection, what’s romantic or intimate affection like?” he asked, head tilted curiously, something in his voice and eyes tugging at your own curiosity.

“I could tell you to just look at the two of them closely,” you answered, shrugging, and then jokingly added, “Or you could try wooing me and experience it first-hand.” At the serious expression on his face and the silence, you laughed, shaking your head, “Relax. There’s honestly a fine line between familial and romantic or intimate affection. Just watch Izuku and Shouto closely, you’ll see the difference between the affection they have, and the affection Izuku has with me.”

And then something warm grazed your hand, your ears burning – you knew they were turning bright crimson, much like your cheeks – you looked down, seeing his hand gently holding yours, much like Izuku had held Shouto’s. “They do this often, but I don’t see you holding his hand like this,” he spoke, and you couldn’t figure out what emotion his voice was conveying.

Laughing nervously, you nodded, “Y-yes… our hands… we work with them a lot… and… gentle interactions with them convey affection… touching and holding hands like this is… a bit more intimate than… familial.” Clearing your throat, you gently pried your hand away, meeting his gaze, “I was jesting about the wooing. You don’t have to. I-I’m sure you’d prefer one of the other maidens.”

“You mean the ones who keep throwing themselves at me?’ he chuckled and shook his head, “I’ve no interest in them. I like someone who can keep up with me… and who I need to woo before I can have them.”

You swore your blush increased, spreading down to your neck. Clearing your throat, you quickly rose up, “We need to finish the walls.” With that, you moved on to the next section, refusing to meet his gaze as you focused intently on the debris.


	3. Learn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dabi seeks advice.

Cerulean eyes stared at the two figures, their hands intertwined, foreheads resting against one another’s, the warmest smiles he had yet to see before on their faces. The two parted, and Shouto placed a gentle kiss on the vallaslin on Izuku’s cheeks, his free hand gentle tracing the other cheek’s, the elven male blushing profusely. Izuku returned the gesture, gently placing a kiss on Shouto’s scar. And then the two continued their walk, hands still intertwined.

At that moment, you walked towards the two, smiling at both. You walked up to Shouto and the two of you rest your foreheads against one another’s, and then you moved to place a gentle kiss on Izuku’s vallaslin, and he did the same, but never did you touch their hands or faces, your hands strictly remaining by their arms.

Dabi tilted his head curiously, taking note of the small differences between your interactions. Your words had held all the advice he needed. Watching your form disappear, he rose from his position beneath the tree, approaching both Izuku and Shouto. Both males appeared equally shocked to see him approach them.

“Izuku, Shouto,” he greeted, placing his hands on both of their shoulders. Mimicking what he had seen you do, he rest his forehead against Izuku’s, and then gently placed a kiss on Shouto’s scar. Both men stared at him in confusion, and then Izuku seemed to smile, his hand squeezing Shouto’s a bit, before he smiled as well.

“Thank you,” Izuku whispered, joy radiating from him, “That means a lot to us.”

Smiling, Dabi nodded his head, then removed his hands from them, “May I ask you both for advice?” The two men agreed merrily, and they made their way to the library, making themselves comfortable. As much as Dabi hated to admit it, the Inquisition _was_ growing on him. Maybe they weren’t the winning side, but they were definitely the better side. And as much as he wanted to keep Shouto at arm’s length, he couldn’t help but worry for his brother. And then there was you. Somehow, unknown to him, you’d crept into his mind and heart, and made it home.

“So, what can we help you with?” Izuku asked, breaking Dabi from his thoughts.

“I want to court [Y/N].”

The silence that followed was overwhelming, one could hear a pin drop. Even some of the passers-by paused in their steps, almost as if they were trying to figure out if they had heard correctly or not. But Dabi’s gaze remained fixed on Izuku’s.

Clearing his throat, Izuku spoke, voice a bit more serious, “Alright, but why come to us?”

“I want to court her properly, as… as another Dalish from your clan would,” he answered, voice faltering only a bit, “And, seeing as you are like family to her, I want your permission.” His eyes remained locked with Izuku’s.

Izuku met him with the same determination, “If you court her as a Dalish, you need to realize the meaning behind it, the commitment needed. Are you still planning on leaving after this month?”

The question was loaded, and Dabi knew his answer would affect Izuku’s response, with a sigh, he answered, “I am… uncertain. I still think you won’t win, but… it’s growing on me.”

“That’s better than yes, so I’ll help you with some things,” Izuku answered, a glint of worry in his eyes, but he kept his word and proceeded to tell him everything he needed.

* * *

They sat for hours, discussing simple things, explaining the meanings behind them, with Shouto helping Izuku demonstrate. There were so many different, subtle things to how Clan Lavellan expressed themselves. But your words rang clearly through his head. You weren’t lying when you said that your clan was very open and affectionate. There were gestures for acquantences, friends, parents, siblings, other clan’s members, courting, wooing, partners, and more. It was overwhelming to take in, to learn of another culture so vastly different from his own. But it would be worth it in the end.

At one point, he’d asked Izuku why he couldn’t just teach him what was needed for courting, to which the greenette rolled his eyes, much like an exhausted parent would. “Because, you would not want to accidentally use the wrong gesture. For you, it might not have much meaning, but for us it means a lot. Actions speak much louder.” That had been his response, and he supposed that made sense. Dabi would hate to think he’d made a courting gesture, only to have made a parental one.

It was well into the afternoon when Izuku finally called it a day, saying that he would arrange more meetings later. Relief sagged through Dabi. As much as he wanted to learn about all of that, he wasn’t the most studious person – there was a reason he was as marred as he was. He thanked Izuku, greeted both him and his brother, and made his way back to his room. Thankfully today had been a resting day, or else you might have come looking for him and chewed his ear off.

With the faintest hint of a smile, he laid atop his bed, drifting off to a peaceful slumber.


	4. Wound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your mind is not kind to you.

Standing upright, your lips parted with a sigh, wiping at the sweat that formed on your forehead. Even wearing a breezy sleeveless shirt and shorts did little against the heatwave. Once you were done, you were going to have Shouto create a blizzard. But for now, your attention was focused intently on fixing minor nooks and crannies. As much as you wish you could just magically fix them, there wasn’t much you could do for holes other than fill them by hand.

“You look hot,” a voice chimed, your ears and cheeks tingling as blood rushed to them. You knew that voice very well, and you knew his words were purposefully phrased to suggest both sides.

“Considering this heatwave and the fact that I’m busy working in this section,” you gestured to the wall, then continued, “then yes, I am a bit overheated.” You turned to face him, arms crossed over your chest, “So, what are you doing here? Weren’t you supposed to be helping Izuku?”

For the last week and a half, Dabi had been disappearing often, or Izuku would come fetch him. The two would be busy for hours, and then neither would tell you a thing, only saying they were helping each other. While Dabi did help around and spend time with you, things felt different. Though whether it was a good or bad different was something you still needed to figure out.

“Oh, well, we’re done with that business, for now. Anything I can help you with?” he asked, approaching you with steady steps, stopping once he stood next to you.

“Well, you’re a bit big to fit in some of the spots, but you could hold everything for me, and pass on what I need?” you suggested, leaning down to show each of the items you were busy using, naming them as you handed them to him.

* * *

The next few hours passed in silence and small banter, covering more than you’d expected. Stepping back, you wiped at your forehead again, then smiled and glanced over at Dabi, “Well, I guess we got a bit carried away. Thank you, Dabi, you helped a lot.”

Arching a brow, he shrugged, “Didn’t do much. You did most of the work.” Rolling his eyes at the way you playfully swat at him, he gestured to the remainders, “Shall we leave them here, or take them back to the quartermaster?”

A thoughtful hum left you, and you merely shrugged, “Leave them here. I’ll be working tomorrow as well, so there’s no point in having to fetch it again.”

He placed the items neatly by the next red marker, and the two of you headed back to your quarters, silently appreciating the cooler late noon breeze. Both of your quarters were relatively close to each other’s, so it was often that you walked the same route back. Halfway to your quarters, something warm gently intertwined with your hand.

Your heart froze for a second, step faltering, and then it hammered in your chest, ears and cheeks flushed instantly. You’d told him what it meant, and he hadn’t shown any interest for the past week and a half, so why now? Clearing your thoughts, you returned the gesture, your fingers curling into his.

The rest of the walk was quiet, your entire being focused on the contact of your hands. Only when you stopped in front of your room did you speak up, “Well, this is my room.” Turning to face him, you were once again surprised when he pressed his forehead against yours, his free hand reaching to gently stroke the vallaslin on your cheek. “D-Dabi,” you whispered, eyes wide, [e/c] eyes meeting his cerulean blue ones.

“I was serious last time… If you’re not interested it’s fine,” he whispered, moving away to plant a chaste kiss against your forehead, lips touching the bright red vallaslin.

If him holding your hand had made your heart freeze, his confession and affection made your heart flatline. Unable to stop yourself, you smiled, hand reaching up to stroke his cheek affectionately, planting a chaste kiss to his other cheek, “I am. Interested, that is.”

With a smile, the two of you parted, and you watched him walk to his room. Walking into yours, you quickly shut the door, back pressed against it as a soft squeal left you, heart hammering against your chest. Your fingers moved to gently touch where he had, cheeks and ears flushed. You felt like a young girl once more, hands covering your face in an attempt to hide the smile and blush from the rest of the world.

This wasn’t the first time someone had attempted to court you, but it was definitely the first time you were interested. Your heart rang out, but twinged painfully that he might leave at the end of the month. It was now but a few days away, and dread quickly blanketed over the joy you had felt mere moments ago. What if he still decided to leave? If he asked you to leave with him, would you even be able to make that choice?

Your chest squeezed tightly, the walls suddenly suffocating you, the room too small. Your hands moved to clutch at the fabric. This feeling was familiar, one you hated. And one you hadn’t felt in months… So why now? Why did it have to come back now? Sinking down to the floor, you tried to focus on anything, tried to get your mind to focus on something other than the sudden turmoil you had unintentionally thrown yourself into.

Staying in this room was not helping, the confines baring down upon you. There was only one person you could think of that could help you work through this right now. With a shaky sigh, you managed to get back up on your feet, stumbling over to your personal gear. As your hand gripped tight around the grip of your spirit blade, you could feel your nerves began to settle once more. Grip firm, you quietly left your room, tiptoeing to the barracks.

* * *

Warm and merry laughter chimed out, the corners of your lips tugging ever so slightly upwards. Stopping outside the familiar window, you peered inside. Much to be expected, he was not joining in on whatever fun the rest were having. His crimson gaze was locked on whatever important papers were on his desk, his brows pulled into a scowl. At times you wondered if that scowl was permanently affixed to his visage, for you could not recall a moment he did not scowl at anything.

Your knuckles gently rapped against the window pane. No response came from him, and with a huff, you placed your other hand against the window, showing the hilt of your blade. His gaze flicked over to you, at first seeming annoyed at the intrusion, but as soon as it settled on the hilt, a feral grin split his lips. His body moved quickly, yanking the window open. The familiar scent of caramel that seemed to cling to him wafted towards you.

“Would you mind sparring with me? I need a distraction,” you asked, tone polite, [e/c] eyes peering into his crimson ones. There was a spark of feral pleasure in them at your question.

“Heh, you should know by now, Red,” he started, ignoring the roll of your eyes at the nickname he’d given you, his grin curling up, “I’m always up for a fight.”

* * *

“Wow, something must really be bothering you,” Katsuki barked, that feral look on his face increased sevenfold ever since you’d gotten into the sparring ring, “That, or you just got really weak.”

With a huff, you lifted your free hand in a crude gesture, “Or maybe I don’t take a sparring request as a battle to the death.” Straightening yourself out, you rolled your neck and shoulders. It had been a solid few minutes of back and forth between the two of you, but still your mind was not at ease.

Mud and dirt covered your clothes and bare skin, sticking to the perspiration that covered every inch of your body. Your shirt clung to your form in an almost uncomfortable manner, but you’ve had worse conditions. This was nothing. Katsuki was in no better state than you, but you both knew that you could keep going.

A small crowd had gathered during the match, most were familiar faces, people you’d greet now and then in passing by, but it would be a stretch to call them anything more than acquaintances. They gave some cheers, even placing bets on who’d win.

With a huff, you powered your blade once more, though the edges were dulled – as to not actually injure anyone. Katsuki fought with a blunted metal longsword. Something he was notorious for, most of the soldiers in the barracks had trained with him, and many had nursed bruises for weeks. It was harsh, perhaps, but it definitely did make it feel more _real_.

Readying yourself, he took up a stance as well. A moment of silence passed, and then you rushed forward, swords clashing in a flurry, bodies bouncing to and fro. Your regular style was more elegant, but while facing off against Katsuki, your style became more frenetic, like a savage dance.

The air had grown cool and damp, but with the amount of physical exertion you were putting out, you barely even noticed it. Puffs of mist escaped the two of you with each exhale, with each blow that forced the air out of your lungs. You threw yourselves against each other, over and over and over again. And somewhere in that rhythm, your mind had finally begun to ease itself.

With a twirl of your blade and swing of your foot, you hooked Katsuki’s leg and pulled him down, his eyes widening as he fell. Resting your blade at his throat, the two of you stared at one another for a moment. Flickering out of existence, you pulled your blade away and offered your free hand to him. As usual, he pushed your hand away and helped himself up.

“Looks like you’re finally getting your head into this,” he huffed, giving an appreciative grin, then looked at the crowd, “Last match? I believe we’re even. Crowd needs a victor for their bets.”

With a roll of your eyes, you shrugged, “I suppose. Last match.” The feral grin returned to his lips, and that was when your gaze noticed an all-too familiar face behind him, standing in the crowd. Cerulean blue eyes met with your own, and suddenly you remembered why you were sparring Katsuki.

Shaking your head, you moved over to your side, powering your blade once more. But everything felt off. Your mind was reeling once more, and you failed to notice the fat, wet droplets falling from the heavens. Blades clashed again, but your swings were too long, too slow. Katsuki was moving too fast, too harshly. He was pushing you back and you could barely stand your ground.

Pants puffed out of you, faster and faster as you tried to get your head back into gear, but Katsuki did not relent, gave you no room to gather your bearings. With a roar, you rushed towards him, aiming to shove your shoulder into his waist. But you had misjudged your terrain. A patch of wet earth gave way beneath your foot, and too late you tried to readjust your footing. Katsuki realized too late your mistake, tried to move his blade away, but was too slow. Everything became deathly still, time slowing.

Pain blossomed from your shoulder, and a loud cry escaped you, shattering the frozen world around you. “Fuck,” Katsuki cussed, tossing his sword to the side and falling to his knees beside you. Deftly, he tore off his shirt, pressing it against your shoulder. Another cry escaped you, hands moving to clutch at his forearm, trying to find something, _anything_ , that could anchor you.

The blade shouldn’t have been able to cut you, and Katsuki knew how to handle his blade. But a small mistake he led to the blade slicing into your shoulder. It burned, a white-hot kind of pain. A sharp sword would have cut clean through, but the blunted blade had torn through skin, muscle and sinews.

You stilled as another body pressed against you, gaze turning to see the worried visage of Dabi, eyes filled with genuine terror. This was perhaps the most emotion you had seen him express since you’d first met him.

“DON’T JUST FUCKING STARE YOU DAMN FUCKING EXTRAS!!! GET HELP!!!” Katsuki barked out, the civilians scattering frantically in a search for help, “GET THE INQUISITOR OR THE HEALERS!!!”

Your hands moved from Katsuki’s forearm to clutch at Dabi’s shirt, tears blurring your vision. “Don’t leave,” you sobbed, squeezing your eyes shut, trying to stop the tears, thankful for the rain.

“You,” Katsuki’s voice was filled with venom and distrust, body tense as he finally seemed to notice Dabi’s presence. His crimson gaze didn’t miss the way you held onto his shirt. “Make yourself useful. Put your hands over mine, keep the pressure on her wound.”

“I know how to deal with a fucking wound,” Dabi growled out, but there was less bite in his voice than there normally would have been, his hands moving to replace Katsuki’s. “Stay still, [Y/N]. You’ll be okay.” His voice tried to sound reassuring, but it wobbled just enough to reflect his uncertainty.

“Lift it up, and apply pressure when I say so, I need to assess the wound,” Katsuki spoke again, voice stern, hands moving beneath the fabric. The pressure vanished from your shoulder as Dabi lifted it off, and Katsuki’s hands felt around the wound. “Fuck.” Muffled whimpers escaped you at the pain. “Pressure,” he barked out, and instantly, Dabi re-applied pressure.

You tried to will your magic to heal you, but you’d drained your reserves during the sparring match. “Stop,” Dabi spoke, gaze fixing onto your own, “Don’t push yourself.” Then he looked over at Katsuki, “What is it?”

“The bleeding won’t stop, I think her veins were nicked,” Katsuki answered, then looked up at the ravenette, “You’ve got Inferno magic, right? I need you to cauterize the wound.”

“I… I _can’t_ ,” Dabi choked out, sounding so broken, “I’ll turn her to ash…”

“If you even care an ounce about her, you’ll fucking _try_.”

Hands shaking, Dabi removed the fabric from your wound, his hands replacing it. “I’m sorry,” he muttered. Over and over and over again. Heat blossomed from his palms. At first it was a pleasant warmth, but within mere seconds, it burned unlike anything you’d ever experienced before. Remnants of your first encounter flickered through your mind, recalling the heat from within your barrier.

The stench of burnt flesh permeated the air, your own skin melting and bubbling beneath the blue flames. And then it was over. Your mind swam, hand reaching for Dabi. “Don’t… leave…” you whispered as your eyes fluttered shut.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to comment and leave kudos.  
> Please keep comments respectful/polite, especially for critique. Thank you.


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